Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
Well, where to start. I am Chad. I am relatively new to this site (joined tdr around 6-7 months ago). This is my first post so go easy on me. On Monday I finally picked up a 2006 Atlantic Blue Lamarie J 2500 from Artioli Dodge in Enfield, CT. I finally found a dealership that was willing to work from a price I was looking to spend. The only problem with this is I live about an hour and a half from Enfield.
The story begins at Roberts Dodge oddly enough, I know terrible dealership and pretty much lost $75,000 in sales last week. My wife was looking at an Infinti FX35 they had on the lot ($35,000) and I was ready to buy a Mineral grey Thunder Road 2500 they had on the lot ($40,000). I had called Artioli dodge 2 weeks prior because in the Bargain News (local classifieds) they had listed a 2004. 5 used Flame Red sport that grabbed my attention. So I went out to look at it and promptly put a deposit because it was in service and I couldn't drive it unitl the did some work on it. Since the first time I drove a thrid gen Ram I had to have one. My 2002 was a great truck but to have four full doors and a quiet diesel is like heaven. Once I sold the 2002 I began looking at many options. Years, colors, packages, etc. . , began my search and by lucky coincidence landed me a truck that I can see a long future with.
I went to Roberts Dodge because that mineral grey had the full center consol that I wanted in my new truck. So we agreed on a price of $40500 out the door for everything. Tax,title,reg, and a spray in bedliner that they where charging me $500 for because they could not let it go for less than $40,500.
So I call back Artioli Dodge and say could you please refund the deposit on the used truck because I have decided to go with an 06 instead. Joe says no problem and starts with the sales pitch at this point. "We (Artioli Dodge) are the largest dealership in CT for trucks so what are you looking for and I will try and get it for you". I told him " I am looking for an exact truck, a grey thunder road with the full center consoul". He tells me that exact same truck is on the lot. I was trying to call his bluff because I was just there 4 days prior and I know the only had 5 2500's on the lot and 3 of those were gas. He says "trust me we just took delivery of 25 plus 2500 diesels and I have the truck you are looking for. I was real honest with him and I said " I have a deposit on the exact same truck at Roberts Dodge what can you do for me. He says let me talk to the boss and i will call you back. When he calls back in about fifteen minutes or so he tells me they don't not want to lose my business and what would it take to sell me their truck. I tell them I was really hoping to get leather interior because of my dog and work so if they could include aftermarket leather interior I would consider it. I left the ball in their court so Joe Artioli (the owner, young guy probaly my age) calls me back and says I will put in leather, heated seats, spray-in-bedliner and I will do it for $40,000 out the door. I said that is great just switch the deposit from the used one to the new one. So I call back Roberts and tell them that Artioli has beat their deal and what they were offering me. First the salesman laughed at me and told me I was crazy, so I said ok if you don't want to sell the truck I want my money back.
Later that night I get a phone call from Lester (Roberts sales manager) incidentally after I had just verbally comitted to Artioli Dodge and he tells my he will match the price and he will work out a great deal on the Infiniti we were looking at.
Needless to say I was laughing at him on the price of the Infiniti because that morning I went to the Infiniti dealer which had an 05 with 10,000 miles on it that was going to cost me $32,500 out the door. When I brought a copy of the deal to the saleman at Roberts and when he showed it to Lester I heard him from across the room call me a liar and that there was no chance that I could have gotten that price. Now I am fuming I walk over to him and politely say "You just lost $75,000 in car sales how do you feel now?".
Next I went up to Artioli to finalize everything when I saw the truck I really wanted. The laramie pacakge Atlantic Blue 2500. This will be my third ram, second diesel. So i really wanted leather, heated seats, etc. . , that comes with the Laramie J package.
Long story shortend I got the Laramie J with a spray in bedliner for $40,000 out the door from Artioli Dodge. Joe Stubbs, the saleman was really good to deal with. Joe Artioli, the owner was aslo very cool because I was trying to get the lowest price I could find and he was willing to at least try. I told him I was a member of the TDR and I would be posting a thread on my expirence with his dealership and he said I would be happy to offer the TDR members 1% over invoice right off the bat. So if anyone in the CT, Mass, or NY area is in the market for a new truck I can vouch for Artioli Dodge. The biggest selection and least stubborn dealership I have delt with in a long time. Tell them you are a TDR member and begin the negotiations. Good luck!
Sorry to be so long winded but how do you think I did on my deal. The sticker price on my tuck was $44,858.
I will be posting pictures as soon as I figure out how too.
The story begins at Roberts Dodge oddly enough, I know terrible dealership and pretty much lost $75,000 in sales last week. My wife was looking at an Infinti FX35 they had on the lot ($35,000) and I was ready to buy a Mineral grey Thunder Road 2500 they had on the lot ($40,000). I had called Artioli dodge 2 weeks prior because in the Bargain News (local classifieds) they had listed a 2004. 5 used Flame Red sport that grabbed my attention. So I went out to look at it and promptly put a deposit because it was in service and I couldn't drive it unitl the did some work on it. Since the first time I drove a thrid gen Ram I had to have one. My 2002 was a great truck but to have four full doors and a quiet diesel is like heaven. Once I sold the 2002 I began looking at many options. Years, colors, packages, etc. . , began my search and by lucky coincidence landed me a truck that I can see a long future with.
I went to Roberts Dodge because that mineral grey had the full center consol that I wanted in my new truck. So we agreed on a price of $40500 out the door for everything. Tax,title,reg, and a spray in bedliner that they where charging me $500 for because they could not let it go for less than $40,500.
So I call back Artioli Dodge and say could you please refund the deposit on the used truck because I have decided to go with an 06 instead. Joe says no problem and starts with the sales pitch at this point. "We (Artioli Dodge) are the largest dealership in CT for trucks so what are you looking for and I will try and get it for you". I told him " I am looking for an exact truck, a grey thunder road with the full center consoul". He tells me that exact same truck is on the lot. I was trying to call his bluff because I was just there 4 days prior and I know the only had 5 2500's on the lot and 3 of those were gas. He says "trust me we just took delivery of 25 plus 2500 diesels and I have the truck you are looking for. I was real honest with him and I said " I have a deposit on the exact same truck at Roberts Dodge what can you do for me. He says let me talk to the boss and i will call you back. When he calls back in about fifteen minutes or so he tells me they don't not want to lose my business and what would it take to sell me their truck. I tell them I was really hoping to get leather interior because of my dog and work so if they could include aftermarket leather interior I would consider it. I left the ball in their court so Joe Artioli (the owner, young guy probaly my age) calls me back and says I will put in leather, heated seats, spray-in-bedliner and I will do it for $40,000 out the door. I said that is great just switch the deposit from the used one to the new one. So I call back Roberts and tell them that Artioli has beat their deal and what they were offering me. First the salesman laughed at me and told me I was crazy, so I said ok if you don't want to sell the truck I want my money back.
Later that night I get a phone call from Lester (Roberts sales manager) incidentally after I had just verbally comitted to Artioli Dodge and he tells my he will match the price and he will work out a great deal on the Infiniti we were looking at.
Needless to say I was laughing at him on the price of the Infiniti because that morning I went to the Infiniti dealer which had an 05 with 10,000 miles on it that was going to cost me $32,500 out the door. When I brought a copy of the deal to the saleman at Roberts and when he showed it to Lester I heard him from across the room call me a liar and that there was no chance that I could have gotten that price. Now I am fuming I walk over to him and politely say "You just lost $75,000 in car sales how do you feel now?".
Next I went up to Artioli to finalize everything when I saw the truck I really wanted. The laramie pacakge Atlantic Blue 2500. This will be my third ram, second diesel. So i really wanted leather, heated seats, etc. . , that comes with the Laramie J package.
Long story shortend I got the Laramie J with a spray in bedliner for $40,000 out the door from Artioli Dodge. Joe Stubbs, the saleman was really good to deal with. Joe Artioli, the owner was aslo very cool because I was trying to get the lowest price I could find and he was willing to at least try. I told him I was a member of the TDR and I would be posting a thread on my expirence with his dealership and he said I would be happy to offer the TDR members 1% over invoice right off the bat. So if anyone in the CT, Mass, or NY area is in the market for a new truck I can vouch for Artioli Dodge. The biggest selection and least stubborn dealership I have delt with in a long time. Tell them you are a TDR member and begin the negotiations. Good luck!
Sorry to be so long winded but how do you think I did on my deal. The sticker price on my tuck was $44,858.
I will be posting pictures as soon as I figure out how too.
